distinct study in schools and colleges, both in England and
Ireland. What should be thought of a school where English history was
not taught? and is Irish history of less importance? I have had very
serious letters complaining of this deficiency from the heads of several
colleges, where our history has been introduced as a class-book.[A]

There are some few Irish Catholics who appear to think that Irishmen
should not study their history--some because they imagine that our
history is a painful subject; others, because they imagine that its
record of wrongs cannot fail to excite violent feelings, which may lead
to violent deeds. I cannot for one moment admit that our history is
either so very sorrowful, or that we have cause to do anything but
rejoice in it. If we consider temporal prosperity to be the _summum
bonum_ of our existence, no doubt we may say with truth, like the
Apostle, that of all peoples we are "most miserable;" but we have again
and again renounced temporal advantages, and discarded temporal
prosperity, to secure eternal gain; and we have the promise of the
Eternal Truth that we shall attain all that we have desired. Our
history, then, far from being a history of failures, has been a history
of the most triumphant success--of the most brilliant victories. I
believe the Irish are the only nation on earth of whom it can be truly
said that they have never apostatized nationally. Even the most Catholic
countries of the Continent have had their periods of religious
revolution, however temporary. Ireland has been deluged with blood again
and again; she has been defeated in a temporal point of view again and
again; but spiritually--NEVER! Is this a history to be ashamed of? Is
this a history to regret? Is this a history to lament? Is it not rather
a history over which the angels in heaven rejoice, and of which the
best, the holiest, and the noblest of the human race may justly be
proud?

On the second count, I shall briefly say that if Irish history were
taught in our Irish colleges and schools to children while still young,
and while the teacher could impress on his charge the duty of
forgiveness of enemies, of patient endurance, of the mighty power of
moral force, which has effected even for Ireland at times what more
violent measures have failed to accomplish, then there could be no
danger in the study. Perhaps the greatest human preservative of the
faith, for those whose lot may be cast hereafter in other